Pretty Words
by Dajypop
Summary: Love had nothing to do with it. At first, at least.


**Title:** Pretty Words  
 **Author:** Daisy  
 **Fandom:** Dragon Age  
 **Setting:** Hawke Estate, The Hanged Man  
 **Pairing:** Anders/Ethan Hawke  
 **Characters:** Anders, Ethan Hawke, Isabela, Varric Tethras  
 **Genre:** Romance/Drama  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Chapters:** 1/1  
 **Word Count:** 642  
 **Type of Work:** One-Shot  
 **Status:** Complete  
 **Warnings:** AU - Canon Divergence  
 **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything except Ethan.  
 **Summary** Love had nothing to do with it. At first, at least.

 **AN:** Decided to play on Ethan's nature and Anders' love a little bit. I think their relationship would have been much different in the game if I could have written it myself. xD But, I'm sure that's what everyone says. Anyway, needed some more Anders/Ethan, so here we go~

 **Pretty Words** ****

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He's said them a thousand times, maybe more, by now. It seems that every creak of bone and shift of muscle earns him an 'I love you', these days, as if Anders believes it's a balm that will save him the pain. Every time he said it, at first, Ethan would flinch, as if struck by the blunt end of the man's staff. Slowly, over time, the flinching had stopped, and occasionally the elder mage could pull a kiss or hug out of it in return, but those same three words never graced his lover's lips.

The first time Ethan mentioned that he'd said it, Isabela nearly spewed stale ale all over the Hanged Man.

" _He_ _ **what**_ _?!" She questioned, shrilly, as though Anders was, indeed, beating him, and she was going to put a stop to_ _ **that**_ _._

 _"He… Said he loved me." The eldest Hawke stared into nothingness, looking confused and quite possibly scandalized. "Said it was okay if I'm not ready to say it, yet…"_

 _"I doubt you'll ever learn to say it." Came the playful sneer as the pirate ordered another drink for them, something stronger, "You've lived free for too long. Someone like us? They don't change. I think Varric was right; you shouldn't have gotten involved with him. I suppose the real kicker will be when_ _ **Justice**_ _starts saying 'I love you'. The minute that happens, you run, and you run_ _ **fast**_ _. Nothing worse than a clingy spirit."_

But there _was_ something worse than a clingy spirit. After a year of trying to ignore those three little words, every time he'd hear them and not reciprocate at least something, he earned possibly the most heartbroken flash of emotion over that quickly (and sadly) smiling face. Maybe that was what began to wear him down so much.

"I love you." Anders would try, almost searchingly, as they were curled together on Ethan's large bed, his manifesto on his lap and quill in hand. He'd perfected the art of not looking at him when he said those things, not enjoying seeing the lost look it put on his lover's face, or showing that he might have been breaking his own heart the more he insisted.

It had been a whole year. Ethan had, for the most part, stopped sleeping around, had stopped at least a couple of his bad habits… He was pretty solely reliant on Anders, at this point, which was a heavy order in and of itself. Something told him that it was right; another part of him wondered when Justice had bridged into his own mind.

Bearing down, snuggling in close and nearly tossing the damn scrolls from the other's lap, Ethan wiggled about until he was facing the other, staring him in the eye.

"I… Love you, too." He started, slowly, licking his lips, "I love you, Anders." And then the floodgates seemed to open and he couldn't stop. Every time he said it, he'd shift just enough to be straddling the other's hips, finally able to cup his face. Punctuating every single one with a kiss, soul-searing and passionate, if not too short, the blonde wiggled slightly, almost desperately. "I love you."

By this point, Anders was chuckling softly, smiling so brilliantly the sun would have been jealous. He returned kisses and placed shaking hands on the younger mage's hips, holding him still.

"Ethan, love… What's gotten into you?" He couldn't help the pleasant laugh on his lips as he asked.

"Well, Kitty-Cat," Having to take on his usual air of self-righteous perfection, he beamed down at the other as he rest their foreheads together, "You, I suppose. I… I guess I'm finally ready to say your pretty words."

Anders had to admit, they did sound _beautiful_ coming from the blonde.

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 **AN:** Welp, it was shorter than I expected, but that's alright, I suppose. I still like this. ouo Even if it maybe moved a bit fast. Hope to see you guys in the next one!


End file.
